Switzerland stuns Spain in World Cup

DURBAN, South Africa - The World Cup needed a jolt. Switzerland provided it.

Gelson Fernandes scored on a rare Swiss attack, giving his team a stunning 1-0 upset Wednesday over European champion and tournament favorite Spain.

The loss ended Spain's run of 12 straight international wins and handed the Spanish just their second loss in 50 games - the other was to the United States at the Confederations Cup in South Africa last year.

It also provided a thrill at a tournament that has seen few surprises and only 25 goals after the first game for all 32 teams.

"To be fair, I'm not used to scoring goals, so I was a bit surprised," said Fernandes, who got just his second goal in international play. "It was a bit of luck."

And tenacity. Eren Derdiyok created Switzerland's big chance in the 52nd minute by surging through the center of Spain's defense and rounding goalkeeper Iker Casillas. Gerard Pique's desperate tackle stopped Derdiyok, but Fernandes pounced on the loose ball and forced it into the net.

Spain outshot the Swiss and held the ball 63 percent of the time, but could find no way through Switzerland's determined defense.

"Today wasn't our day," Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said. "We have two games ahead of us. We have to find a way to win them."

It won't be a gimme. Well-regarded Chile beat Honduras, 1-0, in the other Group H opener.

The win was Switzerland's first over Spain. "These were three unexpected points," Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said before defending his team's defensive play as the only way to nullify Spain.

"If you play an attacking game against Spain, you'll lose and suffer one goal after the next," he said.

History is not on Spain's side. The Spanish have not advanced past the World Cup quarterfinals since their best finish of fourth in 1950.

Derdiyok nearly doubled the Swiss lead in the 75th minute when he shrugged off Carlos Puyol's tackle and poked the ball past Casillas only to see the shot rebound off the post.

Midfielder Xabi Alonso came closest to equalizing when his powerful drive in the 70th minute slammed into the crossbar. Late Spanish substitute Fernando Torres still couldn't penetrate the Swiss.

David Villa was Spain's most dangerous forward, but the top scorer from the European Championships in 2008 repeatedly saw his efforts blocked or go wide. Villa got by Stephan Lichtsteiner in the 10th minute, but goalkeeper Diego Benaglio, who played a strong game, dived at his feet to snuff out the chance.

"He's a world-class keeper with one-on-one situations," Hitzfeld said. "He was decisive to our win."

Fernandes put it even more simply. "We defend very well," he said.

Switzerland was knocked out of the last World Cup on penalty kicks by Ukraine in the round of 16 without conceding a goal in the tournament and has now gone 490 minutes in World Cup play without being scored upon.